Cleaning machine



' H.. c. PORTER 2,303,578

CLEANING MACHINE I Filed' Dec. 24, 1940 I'NVENTOR flow/W0 C. PORTER vBYA I ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 1, 1942 OFFICE Y CLEANING MACHINE Howard C.Porter, South Bend, Ind, assignorto Bendix Home Appliances, Inc., SouthBend,

Intl a corporation of Delaware Application December 24, 1940, Serial No.371,575

Claims.

This invention relates to cleaning machines and, more particularly, toclosure constructions for openings in the tubs of cleaning machines.

One of the objects of the invention is to pro-- vide a cleaning machinehaving an opening closed by a device which is extremely simpletoconstruct and install, which provides a mechanically and liquid tightseal and which presents a pleasing appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure device for acleaning machine in which rubber or like yielding material is employedin a novel manner, so that accurate shaping or forming of the partsisnot necessary and sothat if the closure is struck while it is standingopen its support will flex and even allow the cover to pop out of itspivotal support without being broken.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a closure device fora cleaning machine which will close tightly to. prevent splashing out ofsuds or detergent liquid and at the same time will provide a vent totake care of any expansion or contraction of air contained in themachine. The above and other objects, advantages and novel features ofthe invention will be apparent.

the lines 33 The illustrated machine is substantially of the typedisclosed and claimed in the patent to Chamberlin and Bassett No.2,165,884 and is constructed in many respectsaccording to the disclosureof the patent to Dodge No. 2,173,603.

As seen in Figure l, the machine comprises a base formed by front andback plates I0 resting .on adjustable legs l2 and connected by side Acylindrical tub I 4 is supported on the plates. base with its axishorizontal and has a door IS on one end for 'the introduction andremovalof material to be cleaned. Within the tub l4 there is provided aperforated drum to receive the material, which is driven by motor andtransmission mechanism mounted within the base. Operation of the machinemay be controlled automatically according to the disclosure 'of theaforementioned Patent No.- 2,165,884 or, if desired, may be controlledmanually to carry any desired cleaning operation.

In normal operation of the machine, material to be cleaned is placed inthe inner perforated drum through the door I6 and water is supplied "tothe tub through suitable water, inlets, not

shown. Soap or like detergent material is then introduced, and for thispurpose the tub is provided at its upper portion with a soap doorindicated generally at 2 l8. The present invention concerns itselfprincipally with the construction of the soap door l8.

As best seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the tub is formed with an opening inits upper surface de-' fined by an outwardly turned flange 2D. A sleevemember of soft rubber or the like is adapted to fit within this openingand includes a groove which fits snugly over the edge of the flange, 20,a sleeve portion 22 slidablyfitting within the flange, and anenlargement v24 extending radially both inwardly and outwardly from thsleeve walls. The sleeve portion 22 extends upwardly, beyond the flange20, to provide a free sleeve portion and is integrally formed with aflared skirt 26,

which contacts the tub around the flange 20.

At the rear edge of the sleeve member a tail portion 28 is provided,seating against the tub surface at a 'distance from the flared skirt 26.

flange 32.

The sleeve member is held in place in the tub by pressing it through theflange 20 and by then pressing into the sleeve portion Neither a ring ora coarse grill, indicated at 30. The ring or grill 3,0 is formed ofmetal orv like rigid material and has aroundits edges an outwardlyflaring After the sleeve has been placed in the opening, the ring orgrill 30'is pressed into the sleeve, so that the outermost edge of theflange 32 will press into the portion 22 of the sleeve to hold itself inplace. The ring or grill is pressed down until its lower edge abuts theaxially inwardly extending part of the enlargement 24, thereby holdingthe enlargement in contact with the inner surface of the tub andsecurely locking the sleeve in place.

The opening through the sleeve is adapted to be closed by a rigid covermember 34 formed with an axial flange 36 adapted to fit within the freeouter portion of the sleeve 22. Due to this construction, accuratesizing of the flanges 20 and 36 is not necessary, sincethey aresupported or engaged by spaced portions of the rubber sleeve member.

The cover 34 is formed with an extension 38 -at one end extending into arecess 40 in the sleeve member and carrying a transverse pivot pin 42adapted to extend into elongated sockets 44 in the sides of the recess40. The pin and sockets areso related in sizethat the pin fits looselyin the sockets, but its ends engage the bottoms of the socketsfrictionally to resist turning of the cover. with this construction, thecover is loosely supported and can find its own position in the sleeve22 so-as to seat properly therein. At the same time, its end isconnected to the rubber sleeve member so that it cannot become displacedand in such a way that rattling or free motion thereof is prevented.

In the operation of the machine, it is desirablethat an atmosphericventbe provided in order to vent steam or other gases forming during thecleaning operation and to provide for the venting of pressure tending tobe created by the formation of suds in the tub. The present inventionprovides such a vent by means of a hole 46 in the flange 36 registeringwith the recess 40 in the sleeve, it being noted-that the recess isslightly larger than the extension 38 on the cover. This constructionprovides an adequate atmospheric vent opening which communicates withthe tub through a somewhat tortuous passage so as to block anytendencyof cleaning liquid or suds to be thrown from the tub.

The present invention provides a very simple and inexpensive structure,which is extremely easy to install and which, when once installed, willremain in place unless struck while standing open, as often happens whena basket of clothes is placed on top of the cleaning machine. When thishappens, one end or both ends of the pivot pin 42 become forced out ofthe sockets 44 without, however, damaging either the cover 34 or thesoap door l8.

While one particular construction embodying the invention has been shownand described in detail, it will be understood that the scope of theinvention is not limited thereto, nor otherwise than by the terms of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A closure for a vessel having, a thin metal wall with a substantiallycircular flanged opening therein, a soft rubber sleeve extending throughthe opening and having an enlargement toward one end extending radiallyboth toward and away from the axis of the sleeve, the part extendingaway from the axis engaging the wall of the vessel and the partextending toward the axis constituting an abutment of less diameter thanthe inner wall of the sleeve, a substantially rigid ring within thesleeve engaging the abutment and the inner Wall of the sleeve to preventthe sleeve from being contracted and moved axially in one directionthrough the vessel opening, a grooved part toward the other end of thesleeve into which the edge of the flange of the vessel extends toprevent the sleeve from moving axially in the other direction, and ahinged cover attached to the sleeve.

2. A closure for a vessel having a thin metal wall with a substantiallycircular outwardly flanged opening therein, a soft rubber sleeveextending through the opening and having an enlargement within thevessel extending radially both toward and away from the axis of thesleeve, the part extending away from the axis engaging the inner part ofthe vessel and the part extending toward the axis constituting an thevessel opening, a grooved part toward the outer end of the sleeve intowhich the outer edge of the flange of the vessel extends to prevent thesleeve from moving inwardly, and a hinged cover attached to the sleeve.

3. A closure for a vessel having a thin metal wall with a substantiallycircular outwardly flanged opening therein, a soft rubber sleeveextending through the opening and having an enlargement within thevessel extending radially both toward and away from the axis of thesleeve, the part extending away from the axis engaging the inner part ofthe vessel and the part extending toward the axis constituting anabutment of less diameter than the inner wall of the sleeve, asubstantially rigid ring within the sleeve flange of the vessel extendsto prevent the sleeve from moving inwardly, said' sleeve having a freeportion extending outwardly beyond the edge oi the vessel flange, and acover having a portion adapted to be pressed within the free part of thesleeve.

4. A closure for a vessel having a thin metal wall with a substantiallycircular outwardly flanged opening therein, a soft rubber sleeveextending through the opening and having an enabutment of less diameterthan the inner wall largement within the vessel extending radially bothtoward and away from the axis of the sleeve, the part extending awayfrom the axis enga in the irmer part of the vessel and the partextending toward the axis constituting an abutment of less diameter thanthe inner wall of the sleeve, a substantially rigid ring within thesleeve engaging the abutment and the inner wall of the sleeve to preventthe sleeve from being contracted and removed outwardly through thevessel opening, a grooved part toward the outer end of the sleeveintowhich the outer edge of the flange of the vessel extends to prevent thesleeve from moving inwardly, the outwardly extending part of said sleevehaving a pair of hinge sockets therein, and a cover having hingeprojections adapted to be snapped into the hinge sockets by flexing thesoft rubber of the sleeve extension.

5. A closure for a vessel having a thin metal wall with a substantiallycircular outwardly flanged opening therein, a soft rubber sleeveextending through the opening and having an enlargement-within thevessel extending radially both toward and away from the axis of thesleeve, the part extending away from the axls engaging the inner part ofthe vessel and the part extending toward the axis constituting anabutment of less diameter than the inner wall of the sleeve, asubstantially rigid ring within the sleeve engaging the abutment and theinner wall of the ,sleeve to prevent the sleeve from being contractedand removed outwardly through the vessel opening, a laterally extendingpart of said sleeve overlying the outer edge of the flange about thevessel opening and having a skirt portion engaging the outer surface ofthe vessel,

and a rigid cover hinged into the extended part of said sleeve.

HOWARD C. PORTER.

